
Learn about Disk Utility
You use Disk Utility to configure and manage disks. You can verify and repair damaged disks and disk permissions, partition disks, and erase disks. You can compress selected files into a single file called a "disk image" to move or back up your information. You can also set up a data storage or backup scheme using multiple hard disks.
Repairing disks and disk permissions |
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If you have problems with a disk or volume, you can use Disk Utility to test and repair it. To start, select the disk or volume, then click First Aid. If you see a message that you can't open a file because you don't have permission, Disk Utility may be able to repair the permissions for you. To start, select the disk or volume, then click First Aid. To learn more about repairing disks and disk permissions, click these links. |
Partitioning disks |
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You can use Disk Utility to divide a disk into sections, called "volumes." You can use volumes to store and organize your information for your convenience. Partitioning a disk erases all the information on the disk, so be sure to back up any important information before you partition the disk. To learn more about partitioning disks and managing volumes, click the link below. |
Erasing disks |
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You use Disk Utility to erase disks and volumes. To start, select the disk or volume and click Erase. Erasing a disk or volume removes the information needed to access the files, but doesn't actually remove the files. If you want to erase the actual files, click Security Options. To learn more about erasing disks, click the link below. |
Working with disk images |
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You can use Disk Utility to create a "disk image," a file that stores other files or folders of files. When you create a disk image, you can create it using a folder or disk, or you can create an empty image to add files to later. You can use a disk image to move files from one computer to another or to send to other people in emails. You can also burn a disk image on a CD or DVD disc as a backup copy of your files. To learn more about creating disk images, click the link below. |
Burning CDs and DVDs |
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You can use Disk Utility to burn a disk image on CD or DVD. You can also use Disk Utility to erase some types of CDs and DVDs. To learn more about burning CDs and DVDs, click the link below. |
Restoring your files |
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If you back up your files using a disk image or another disk, you can use Disk Utility to restore your files if there is a problem. To start, click Restore then specify the source and destination for the files. To learn more about restoring your files, click the link below. |
Using a RAID set |
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If you have a critical application that requires high-speed data access or data redundancy, you can use Disk Utility to set up a RAID scheme. A RAID scheme uses several hard disks instead of one to store files. The scheme you select manages storing and accessing your files for you. To learn more about setting up and using RAID, click the link below. |